1. Field of the Invention
The subject of the present invention is a mounting bracket of the type used for mounting a sensor or encoder system on a race of an instrumented rolling bearing, and a corresponding assembly method.
2. Description of the Relevant Art
An instrumented rolling bearing generally includes a rotating race, a nonrotating race, an encoder system mounted on the rotating race, and a sensor system mounted on the nonrotating race. The means for mounting the sensor or encoder system on a race must make it possible to prevent poor mounting that would lead to measuring errors or uncoupling between the sensor or encoder system and the corresponding race, rendering the instrumented rolling bearing unusable.
Document FR 0 376 771 discloses a bracket for the sensor system of an instrumented rolling bearing including a drum cut at one end into a plurality of circumferentially spaced elastic tongues, each tongue being provided at its free end with a hook projecting into a groove in the nonrotating race. The bracket is mounted on the nonrotating race by radial interference between the hooks and the groove. During assembly, the bracket is pressed axially against the nonrotating race. The elastic tongues are deformed by flexing radially to allow the hooks to pass and the bracket and race to be brought toward one another axially. On their hooks are located facing the groove, the tongues assume their initial position, the hooks projecting into the groove.
Since the tongues are small in length, considerable force must be exerted to achieve flexing of the tongues so that the hooks can be latched into place. The flexing of the tongues required for the passage of the hooks additionally depends on the radial interference between the hooks at the nonrotating race. Too much radial interference results in considerable assembly effort, leading to the risk of the tongues breaking during the assembly. Too little radial interference makes it easier to assemble the bracket on the race but entails the risk of poor mounting of said bracket and of uncoupling between the bracket and the race. Moreover, radial interference is difficult to control since it depends on the manufacturing tolerances of the race and of the bracket.
Such a mounting bracket is therefore not satisfactory since it presents risks of breaking during its assembly and risks of inadequate mounting during its use.